★★★ #TheEngagementParty #DarbyKane #NetGalley
Reading about despicable characters generally turns me off on a book. When bad characters meet a justified reward then I'm a bit intrigued. I cannot say that this book made me feel good. A general sense of disgust stayed with me throughout the book because I couldn't find any likeable quality about these college friends. I did feel bad for Sierra who showed up to have a nice getaway. Little did she know the deaths that would follow.
I have seen a lot of mention of "I Know What You Did Last Summer". Since I never watched that movie, I cannot speak to it. I can say that this book reminds me of the board game Clue which I loved. Whodunnit? Who is the killer, how did they commit the crime and why?
This story became a page turner for me because I wanted to know what happened. There are several red herrings that didn't quite throw me off the scent. I had my killer and motive in mind from the beginning. As the story unfolded, I changed it a few times and at the end, I felt good. Is it bad to root for the killer? I find as I get older and older, I tend to sympathize with the "bad" guy more. Although truth be told, there were so many shallow characters in this story. Shallow not as two dimension. As in vain characters that come across as no value added. People who would stab you in the back in a heartbeat to get what they wanted. Showing off how they are doing better to make someone feel bad instead of celebrating for each other's successes. I did find this book a good reminder of how not to treat people.
Ms. Kane wrote a fast paced suspenseful thrilled that kept my attention til the end. Recommended for readers who enjoy seeing the dregs of "high society" cannibalize each other.
